Confederate Monuments

What Should We Do With Confederate Monuments?

People across the country are debating the use and purpose of Confederate Monuments. Whether these statues should be taken down completely, contextualized in place, or left alone are important questions one must consider. To make an informed decision, one must know the history behind them, including the true causes of the Civil War, the perspectives of marginalized people, and myths that propelled their creation. This inquiry provides middle school students with a range of historical and contemporary  sources to consider these issues. These activities culminate in a challenge for students to take action and figure out the best solution for their state, local or national community.

breonna taylor
"These statues are not just stone and metal. They are not just innocent remembrances of benign history"
Mitch Landrieu, former mayor of New Orleans

Helpful Hints

  • Historical Empathy
    • When reading and discussing issues, encourage students to try taking the perspective of people from that time period when discussing point of view.
  • Discussion Questions
    • The discussion questions are the key element of the lessons. It is imperative that students discuss questions amongst themselves with the teacher acting as the facilitator. Please refer to guidelines on transactive discussion tips and techniques.
  • Writing prompts
    • Writing prompts are also key in reinforcing the new information and the discussion that has taken place. The prompts allow students to integrate the perspectives they have heard into a cohesive argument.
    • Make sure students complete writing prompts even if it means assigning the prompt as homework.

    Lesson 1: Transactive Discussion Practice

    Objectives

    • Students will examine photos related to the Civil War and Confederate Monuments
    • Students will learn how to engage in transactive discussions

    Standards

    • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.4;
    • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.1.b;
    • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.1.c;
    • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.1.d;
    • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.3

     

    Documents

    Lesson Plans

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    Lesson_1.pdf178.67 KB

    Photo Powerpoints

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    Handouts

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    Lesson 2: What Was the Central Cause of the Civil War?

    Objectives

    • Students will identify slavery as the primary cause of the Civil War.
    • Students will be able to locate and cite textual evidence that supports this argument.
    • Students will learn about differing perspectives on slavery from the North and the South.
    • Teacher will introduce, clarify, and reinforce challenging terms that will support students’ understanding of the materials.
    • Teacher will introduce and/or review the use of primary source documents in supporting historical inquiry. Students will be able to distinguish between primary and secondary sources.

     

    Standards

    Documents

    Lesson Plans

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    Lesson_2.pdf150.93 KB

    Handouts

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    Lesson 3: Who was Affected by the Civil War and its Aftermath?

    Objectives

    • Students will learn about poor White southerners’ and enslaved African Americans’ perspectives on the War.
    • Students will learn about poor White southerners’ justifications for fighting in a war that did not benefit them socially or economically.
    • Students will learn about the conditions of slavery.
    • Teacher will introduce, clarify, and reinforce challenging terms that will support students’ understanding of the materials.
    • Teacher will introduce and/or review the use of primary source documents in supporting historical inquiry. Students will be able to distinguish between primary and secondary sources.

    Standards

    • Virginia History and Social Science Standards of Learning (SOL):
      • VS.1a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h; VS.7a; VS.7c

    Documents

    Lesson Plans

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    Lesson_3.pdf184.79 KB

    Handouts

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    Discussion Questions

    Lesson 4: Should Black Soldiers Have Fought on Behalf of the Union?

    Objectives

    • Students will gain knowledge about important players of the Civil War who have been underrepresented in the narrative: those who served in the U.S. Colored Infantry.
    • Students will understand that racism and discrimination existed in the North, even in non-slaveholding states. Many White people still did not see Black people as their equals.
    • Students will gain understanding about the struggles and challenges that Black men faced in trying to persuade the North to allow them to fight in the war. They will also learn about Black men’s reasons for wanting to fight in the war, which included wanting to become recognized as citizens and to gain rights they had been denied even in the North.
    • Students will learn about the unequal work and pay conditions that Black Union soldiers faced.
    • Students will learn that Black veterans did not gain full citizenship after fighting on behalf of the country.  
    • Students will also learn about the perspective of White captains of the Black regiments and the complex beliefs and relationships they had with their Black soldiers.
    • Teacher will introduce, clarify, and reinforce challenging terms that will support students’ understanding of the materials.
    • Teacher will introduce and/or review the use of primary source documents in supporting historical inquiry. Students will be able to distinguish between primary and secondary sources.

    Standards

    • Virginia History and Social Science Standards of Learning (SOL):
      • VS.1a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h; VS.7a; VS.7c

    Documents

    Lesson Plans

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    Lesson_4.pdf123.65 KB

    Handouts

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    Discussion Questions

    Lesson 5: What is the Role of the Lost Cause in Confederate Monuments?

    Objectives

    • Students will gain an understanding about the origins of the “Lost Cause” myth and the ways in which it has persisted since the Civil War.
    • Students will gain general knowledge about Confederate generals, understand and discuss the origins of Confederate monuments, and will be able to use this knowledge to engage in discussion regarding the contemporary debate around these monuments.
    • Students will be able to make claims about the origins and continuation of the “Lost Cause” myth and will be able to justify these claims by locating text-based evidence that support these claims.
    • Teacher will introduce, clarify, and reinforce challenging terms that will support students’ understanding of the materials.
    • Teacher will introduce and/or review the use of primary source documents in supporting historical inquiry. Students will be able to distinguish between primary and secondary sources.

    Standards:

    Documents

    Lesson Plans

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    Lesson_5.pdf165.25 KB

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    Discussion Questions

    Lesson 6: What Does the Lost Cause Look Like in Mississippi?

    Objectives

    • Students will review origins of the “Lost Cause” myth and the ways in which it has persisted since the Civil War.
    • Students will examine a specific case study about Confederate monuments and symbols in the state of Mississippi.
    • Students will be able to make claims about the origins and continuation of the “Lost Cause” myth and will be able to justify these claims by locating text-based evidence that support these claims.
    • Students will be able to use text evidence to support their claims in the debate around the use of Confederate monuments.
    • Teacher will introduce, clarify, and reinforce challenging terms that will support students’ understanding of the materials.
    • Teacher will introduce and/or review the use of primary source documents in supporting historical inquiry. Students will be able to distinguish between primary and secondary sources.

    Standards:

    Documents

    Lesson Plans

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    Lesson_6.pdf148.74 KB

    Handouts

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    Discussion Questions

    Lesson 7: What Should Be Done with Confederate Monuments Today?

    Objectives

    • Students will review the origins of the “Lost Cause” myth and the ways in which it has persisted since the Civil War.
    • Students will review knowledge about Confederate generals, understand and discuss the origins of Confederate monuments, and will be able to use this knowledge to engage in discussion regarding the contemporary debate around these monuments.
    • Students will be able to make claims about the origins and continuation of the “Lost Cause” myth and will be able to justify these claims by locating text-based evidence that support these claims.
    • Teacher will introduce, clarify, and reinforce challenging terms that will support students’ understanding of the materials.
    • Teacher will introduce and/or review the use of primary source documents in supporting historical inquiry. Students will be able to distinguish between primary and secondary sources.

    Standards:

    Documents

    Lesson Plans

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    Lesson_7.pdf146.57 KB

    Handouts

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    Lesson 8: Take Action!

    Objectives  

    • Students will chose a civic engagement activity to advocate on behalf of their positions on the topic at hand

    Standards: 

    Common Core: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.1; CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.2; CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.3; CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.4; CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.910.9; CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.1; CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.2; CCSS.ELALiteracy.RH.11-12.3; CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.5; CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.7; CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.8; CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.9. 

    VA Standards of Learning (SOL): VUS.1; VUS.2; VUS.3; GOVT.1; GOVT.3:  

    Documents

    Lesson Plans

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    Lesson_8.pdf272.15 KB

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